First I want to review based on this piece alone— I have been a fan of Julie’s previous works and enjoyed in the romance books how it switches between past and present— however in the fantasy setting this made it feel harder to follow as I did not feel as connected to the characters or the world being built.

I wanted more in the world building with the different types of magic being set up.

I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of the audio work on this one as there would be times it was engaging and other times that it couldn’t capture my attention— this might have been also because it would get like a “tin” sound affecting the quality of the audio? But I found myself having to repeat sections to capture missed story and dialogue. The voice actor did a good job of portraying the characters meant to be loathed.

Now to address the IP situation—I have not read the FF piece of this but having been familiar either the IP it refers to, I can see how this piece is different than that— however the marketing of this work tying it to the IP should have been separated because it could have stood on its own as a fantasy story if the backgrounds were further fleshed out.

Because this was so tied to the IP in marketing and with so many trans folks and others speaking out about how harmful the IP continues to support the original author of that IP— I will not be reviewing this/promoting on other platforms. I had listened to this prior to learning what I know now and will not promote this book further. Thank you.

Unfortunately! I ended up DNFing this Audiobook. The narrator didn't do it for me, and on top of that, I wasn't aware this story was based on JK Rowling‘s Harry Potter.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for the Audiobook.

3⭐, 2🌶️

Soooo like 50% of this audiobook I was painfully bored for, and asking myself what was going on cause I zoned out and stopped paying attention. Then something exciting-ish would happen to pull me back in but then the toxic cycle would happen again. I've learned that I'm a very rare enjoyer of fantasy romance. The magical system/ and the basic premise of this book being the FMC "auctioned" off and bought by her enemy, who quickly becomes her ally just confused me and I couldn't make it all make sense in my head.

I know this book is a traditional publishing of a fan fiction which draws from the creative IP of a childhood wizard series that was written by a vial human. I hate that the book was marketed with the IP in consideration, and I just can't support that IP and connections. However, I write this review of not enjoying this book because I did not enjoy the story. If I read this book a year prior before the "anti-HP/JKR" really reved up, I still would not have liked the book and the story and the romance. It did not intrigue for me.

thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing/ Hachette Audio for an eARC/ ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this audio. I'll admit I did have high hopes just with it being Julie Soto and all the hype surrounding it, but I knew nothing about the actual contents of the book. Unfortunately I found myself getting bored periodically throughout the book. I can't pinpoint why exactly it wasn't holding my attention. Could have been just I wasn't in the right mood for it? Who knows.
The characters Briony and Toven had such an unconventenional relationship granted everything going on in the world they're living in. Their story goes back and forth between timelines giving you a bit of their history between heavy current timeline chapters. I did like the way you got a bit of an insight into who they were before all hell broke loose. Though I did enjoy a lot of their story, I just couldn't get past some of the filler feeling like it just went on and on. Which, once again, could have just been a me thing. I'll probably give this book another chance and reread it later on before the next book releases.

I was IMMEDIATELY hooked from the first chapter, and never wanted to put this down - the story just kept moving the whole time, and the characters had me completely invested & intrigued.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I love Julie's contemporary romances so much and I was interested in seeing what she would do in the fantasy romance space. This book was such a disappointment. The writing was so juvenile in comparison to her other books and I was shocked that the male love interest was her CAPTOR. There was some purity culture things that were pretty triggering as well. I did find the audio to flow easier than reading the ebook.

I did have to dnf this one... I may pick it up in the future but for this moment in time I found it quite slow and boring.

I gave Rose and Chains 3 stars. I wasn’t sure if it was just an off day or if the audiobook really wasn’t my cup of tea, but I found the narration to be quite distracting—I even had to restart a few times to refocus. The story itself felt a bit muddled at times, and the love story between the characters didn’t quite come off as believable, which made it hard to fully invest in their journey. That said, the ending really did capture my attention and left me curious enough that I’m considering picking up book 2. While I haven’t read the accompanying fan fiction to compare perspectives, I did feel that some of the back-and-forth in the narrative added a layer of confusion. Overall, it’s an okay listen with its ups and downs, and there’s potential if the execution becomes sharper in future installments.

Listened at 1.75 speed

Thank you Netgally Ang Publisher for the ALC

I’m invested! So many questions - can’t wait for the next one to find out what happens! Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author for the opportunity to listen to this book.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨”

AMAZING! This was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I can confirm i’m obsessed.

Obviously with this being reworked from a dramione fic (the auction) which I never got around to reading I think Julie did so well with having this one stand on its own with a fresh new magic system and world building. The vibes were definitely there but I loved Briony and Toven.

This is enemies to lovers with one of the slowest of slow burns and I was here for it we love a book with yearning 🤌 also this is pretty dark so check your trigger warnings!

The ending though? 😭 when does the second book come out ?

4.5 stars! Thanks to Forever and Hachette Audio for the ARC!

From the very beginning this story hooked me and kept me hooked. I had no idea until I was part way through that this is based off dramione fan fic! It is definitely a dark romantasy with heavy themes, so check the trigger warnings first, but Julie Soto handles it all with care.

From the opening scene, the pacing doesn’t let up. Briony is such a compelling heroine who is resilient, clever, and easy to root for, and her slow‑burn, complicated connection with Toven had me not wanting to take the headphones off. The worldbuilding is rich and layered, with a magic system that feels unique once you get into it.

Rose in Chains is intense, emotional, and a twisty fantasy that sticks with you. I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes next!

4.5 stars

I don't want to have to wait until next year!!! UGHH I need more answers!! This book really is the right book right time. I have been needing a bingeable romantasy thats a bit darker and Julie delivered it.

This had me hooked beginning to end. I really like the world Soto is building and I’m assuming books 2 and 3 will unpack that even more. I do hope the action picks up a bit, as it didn’t feel like much happened this book.

The dynamic between Briony and Toven had me rooting for them, though it was also frustrating – that slow burn was a bit too slow for my liking. Serena and Larissa were fascinating side characters. I’m excited to learn more about them in book two.

And the epilogue was the perfect teaser for book two. We need to see more from you-know-who’s POV.

Dark, lush, and emotionally layered, Rose in Chains pulled me in slowly and by the end, I couldn’t get enough.

The world-building is intense: the war is lost, magic is stripped away, and Briony finds herself sold to the enemy. Her dynamic with Toven Hearst is complicated and compelling. The enemies-to-lovers vibe simmers beneath the surface. There are some spicy moments, but it’s definitely a slow burn.

I’ll admit, I struggled a bit in the middle of the book and wasn’t sure I was fully on board. But the final chapters completely drew me back in. The emotional stakes, political tension, and Briony’s resilience really came together perfectly late in the story. It ended in a way that left me absolutely needing book two.

The narrator wasn’t an immediate standout for me, but she grew on me quickly. Her tone fit the dark fantasy setting and she portrayed Briony’s internal battle between fear, defiance, and desire well.

I did not expect this book to hit so hard. From the first chapter, Rose in Chains throws you straight into a world that has already lost its hero and surrendered to darkness. There is no slow build here. The tension is immediate, the emotion is raw, and it never lets up.

Briony is stripped of her freedom, her power, and the life she was meant to lead, she is still sharp, still resilient, and somehow still hopeful. Watching her navigate a world that sees her as a prize to be used was heartbreaking, but also empowering in quiet, subtle ways.

Toven is every bit the morally gray love interest you love to hate and hate to love. Their shared history crackles with tension, and every interaction is loaded with pain, longing, and a thread of something deeper that neither of them wants to name.

Every chapter left me with that anxious, breathless feeling of not knowing what would happen next. And the ending… I need the next book immediately.

Wow, I LOVED this audiobook! The narrator’s voice completely pulled me into the story and made every moment so vivid and emotional. Briony Rosewood’s world falls apart as she’s captured, stripped of her magic, and sold at an auction to Toven Hearst, a man from a family known for cruelty. It’s dark and heartbreaking, but there’s also this glimmer of hope that kept me hooked the whole time. I couldn’t stop listening! It’s one of those stories that stays with you long after it’s over. Highly recommend if you love fantasy with high stakes and amazing narration!

I was fresh off reading The Auction when I started Rose in Chains on audio. This is the first time I have read a fan fiction and then the adapted original work. It was interesting to see what Julie Soto did with the story and how she developed it into a new world. I loved The Auction (actually the entire series) by the way.

If you've read The Auction, the bones of Rose in Chains are familiar. There were many scenes that still remained memorable in their new shape. I am enjoying the new world though, and especially towards the end of this book, I could start to see how the story may start to diverge in an intriguing way.

Overall, this is a bit of a tough book for me to rate. I loved The Auction and I just read it, so I was constantly comparing this book to that and in a way translating the plot to that of the fic. I think if I had not read The Auction so recently I would have enjoyed this book a little more. I do feel like I don't know Briony and Toven well enough yet to totally root for them, but I have faith that as the story continues to unfold in the upcoming books, the characterization will deepen. And I know The Auction has a solid story line, which I am excited to see continued to be adapted in the next two books.

Overall rating is 3.5, but considering how I feel about The Auction rounding it up to 4. And the narration is very enjoyable as well - I would recommend the audiobook!

My new all time favorite romantasy!! Julie Soto had me absolutely enraptured by with this epic saga. This was much darker than I expected but that darkness is what made the stakes feel so high. My heart broke for so many of the characters, but I was also in awe of their strength and resilience. I will be sat waiting for book 2.

I am SO HAPPY I was lucky to get a ALC copy of this book!

Julie Soto can do no wrong, and after reading some of her previous books (Forget Me Not & Not Another Love Song) I knew I'd love this one too!

Slow-burn, Enemies-to-lovers, with a special magic system? Sign me up!!

The narrator, Ella Lynch, did a wonderful job doing all the character voices and I really loved her pacing and intonation with the lovely prose!

Personally, I am not usually a big fan of dual timelines with lots of flashbacks, but the way Julie Soto structured the stories didn't feel too jarring going back and forth.

I can't wait for the story to continue in the next book!

Thanks so much again for the review opportunity!

5 Stars

Wow this book!! I could not stop listening to this one! The audiobook was top notch amazing! I could end every sentence with and exclamation mark because I just was to scream about this book from the rooftops. I absolutely love Julie Soto’s writing and will read anything she writes. This one did not disappoint and was such a page turner even on audio!! I need a physical copy of this book ASAP!

Check your triggers and get it a shot. I’m telling you it’s worth it!

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the gifted copy of this audiobook.